Multi-unit merchandising package



Aug. 3, 1965 D. E. BOEHLING ETAL 3,193,327

MULTI-UNIT MERCHANDISING PACKAGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 50, 1962INVENTORS DANIEL E- BOEHLING THOMAS E. KIRBY, JR.

ATTORNEY! 1965 D. E. BOEHLING ETAL 3,198,327

MULTI-UNIT MERCHANDISING PACKAGE Filed July 30, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTORS DANIEL E. BOEHLING THOMAS E. KIRBY, JR.

ATTORNEYS 3, 1965 D. E. BOEHLING ETAL 3,198,327

MULTIUNIT MERCHANDISING PACKAGE Filed July 30, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTORJ DANIEL E. BOEHLING THOMAS E. KIRBY, JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0 This invention relates to a multi-unitmerchandizing package, and more particularly to a unit-handled packageof articles which have peripherally flanged or chimed ends. Examples ofsuch articles are conventional metal beer or soft drink cans havingcircular ends double seamed to the can body, and tubular foil-paperboardcontainer bodies having metal ends secured thereto for use in packagingbiscuit dough and the like.

in recent years, multi-unit packaging of cans or similar containers hasmet with widespread consumer acceptance, especially in the form of thesix-container package or six-pack. In accordance with this trend, manyforms of multi-unit packages have been developed in an effort to providean eflicient, economical and attractive package.

it is an object of this invention to provide a novel sixpack typepackage which is economical in manufacture, provides maximum display ofthe contents, and, importantly, provides a neat, substantially rigid,easily handled package, thereby achieving maximum efficiency for thepurposes intended.

As cylindrical metallic and paperboard containers are usuallyperipherally lithographed or labelled with advertisiug indicia in anattractive eye-appealing manner, it is highly desirable that thecontainer be viewable by the consumer to a maximum extent. The presentinvention achieves this goal by utilizing a transparent overwrap,whereby no part of the cylindrical surface of the container is obscuredby the packaging material itself. Further, the use of a transparentoverwrap eliminates the additional manufacturing expense required whenordinary cardboard wrappers are provided which necessitate additionalprinting or lithographing upon the cardboard.

In the packaging of closely grouped chimed containers, the chimes ofadjacent containers are in substantially tangential contact with eachother. In the normal handling, shipping and stacking of multi-unitpackages of chimed cans, the chimes of adjacent cans have a naturaltendency to slip relative to one another or ride up on top of eachother, thereby imparting an undesirable tilt or skew to the package, andthus detracting from the intended attractive appearance thereof.Further, such chime-riding causes the packaged containers to assume amore compact grouping, thereby reducing the lateral dimensions of thecan group and causing looseness of the surrounding overwrap and rattlingof the package.

it is accordingly another important object of the inention to eliminatesuch chime-riding in a multi-container package.

While the overwrapping of a group of containers with transparent sheetor film material such as polyvinyl chloride maximizes display of thepackage contents, the film material between adjacent vertically stackedpackages tends to abrade and wear away at the areas of contact betweenthe chimes of vertically adjacent cans in the stack. This chime-abrasionweakens the film or completely severs through the same at these pointsof contact, thereby weakening the overall package, whereby the same maymore easily rupture when the package is lifted and handled by thepurchaser, thereby discharging the cans from the package onto the floor.

it is therefore another chief object of the instant invention to providea package which will positively eliminate such chime-abrasion.

Other significant objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome clear from the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the novel package ofthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan of the package.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section taken on the lines 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the upper insert member of the package.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lower insert member of the package,illustrating the several tabs thereof as positioned in the completedpackage.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a modified lower insert member.

PEG. 7 is a section taken on the line '77 of FIG. 6 with the containersshown in phantom lines.

Referring to the drawings, the novel package ill of the inventioncomprises a number of chimed articles such as cylindrical containers 11,shown as six, and grouped in rectangular array, an upper sheet-likeinsert member H of heavy cardboard, cardboard-foil laminate or the like,a lower insert 13 of similar material, and an overwrap of transparentfilm M which completely surrounds the package on all sides thereof andis preferably shrunk into snug engagement with the containers.

The film overwrap may be any transparent plastic material, andpreferably heat-scalable and shrinkable. A preferred overwrap materialis biaxially oriented heatshrinkable, heat scalable solution castpolyvinyl chloride, which material possesses the necessary strength anddurability to provide a unit handled six-pack package and which issubstantially completely transparent to maximize viewability ofthe'contents.

The containers ii are cylindrical, and are provided at one or both endswith rim flanges or chimes 15 which project or extend radially of thetubular container body proper. These chimes 15 are normally produced inthe process of securing the top or bottom end closure to the cylindricalcontainer body. As stated, the containers 11 may be conventional metalbeverage cans formed from normal or light-weight tin plate, aluminum, orother containers having an end seam, chime or chimes, includingcontainers having a body formed from a helically tubed, cardboard-foillaminate having metal end closures seamed thereto, as commonly employedin the packaging of dough products. Any other articles or containershaving chimelike end constructions as at 15 may be packaged inaccordance with the instant invention.

The lower insert member 13 constitutes an essential component of thepackage. As seen in FIG. 5, the insert 13 comprises a rectangular sheetof relatively stiif material, such as cardboard or a cardboard-foillaminate. The blank 13 is provided with a plurality of U-shaped cut towhich define substantially rectangular tabs 17. These tabs 17 are foldedor hinged upwardly to dispose the tabs substantially perpendicular tothe plane of the insert 13. As clearly seen in F163. 2 5, the U-shapedcuts are so arran cd on the insert 13 that the upstanding tabs if!" willbe disposed tangentially with respect to the chimes 15 of each pair ofadjacent containers ill to be packaged. in the rectangular six-unitpackage shown, seven such tabs l7 are provided. Thus, when the sixchimed containers are positioned in closely grouped relation upon theinsert 13, (as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3), tabs 17 space each can chime15' from the chime of the next adjacent can, whereby no two adjacentcans it have their chimes in contact. it will be seen, therefore, thatin the completed package lb there can be no tendency for the chimes toslip relatively in contact with one another or tilt or become verticallyofiset with respect to adjacent cans, whereby the package cannot becomedisarranged and unattractive.

Further, as the tabs 17 positively prevent any undesirable chime-riding,the slight reduction in overall lateral dimensions of the can groupwhich formerly occurred from chime-riding and which resulted inlooseness of the transparent overwrap, cannot take place, whereby thetransparent plastic material 14 remains tautly embraced about thecontainer group to enhance the eye appeal of the package and the readyhandling and stacking thereof.

In addition to elimination of chimeriding, the insert 13 ascooperatively associated with the package 19, also performs anotherimportant function. As has been previously pointed out, the packageincludes a complete protective overwrap of transparent plastic filmmaterial 14, such as polyvinyl chloride. The use of a transparentcomplete overwrap effects important economic advantages in packagingcontainers 11 of the type described. As these containers are eitherprovided with eye-catching lithographed surfaces, or equally attractiveprinted labels, the present practice of packaging such containers withinopaque cardboard containers or cardboard wrapper blanks substantiallynullifies the attractive and ornamental appearance of each container 11.Thus, in order to display the conventional cardboard package, the opaqueoverwrap or carton material itself must be lithographed or printed atconsiderable expense to carry the trademark and other indicia desired toproperly advertise and display the same. The provision of a completeoverwrap of transparent film material as in the instant inventioneliminates this double printing or lithographing expense, as fullviewing of containers 11 may be had through the transparent wrap.Further, the film verwrap14 is of materially less thickness than theconventional cardboard or like packaging material employed, andtherefore lighter, thereby tending to reduce bulk shipping costs.

Recognizing these economies, it has been previously proposed to wrap amulti-unit package of containers 11 in transparent wrapping material.When, however, such film-wrapped packages are vertically stacked oneupon the other as is conventionally practiced in the storing ormerchandizing of the packages, there is a pronounced tendency for thetransparent film material to wear away or abrade where layers of thesame are sandwiched between vertically adjacent can chimes 15, as forexample, the bottom chimes in one pockage and the top chimes in anotherpackage. This is because the entire weight of the container in theuppermost package is applied to'the annular area of the chime where thelatter is in contact with the top chime of a container in a lowerpackage. This chime-abrasion between adjacent packages rapidly causesweakening and rupture of the film material, thereby rendering thetransparent overwrap completely unsuitable as a packaging material.

The package of the present invention completely obviates this highlyundesirable occurrence in the provision of the cardboard insert 13. Whentwo packages of the character of FIG. 1 are stacked, the film 14 drawnabout the lower chimes 15 of the cans in the upper package is verticallyspaced from the film about the upper chimes 15 of the cans in thelowermost package by a distance equal to the thickness of the insertmember 13. Thus, there can be no contact between vertically adjacent canchimes to cause abrasion of the transparent plastic film material atsuch points. Further, the entire weight of the multi-can package will bedistributed evenly over the insert member 13 thus eliminating anylocalized annular high pressure areas to cause such abrasion.

Therefore, it will be seen that in the instant package 10, insert member113 performs the dual function of preventing chime-riding and alsopreventing chime-abrasion in a highly efficient yet inexpensive manner.

In some instances, especially when larger size containers 11 arepackaged, or a greater number of containers than six are packaged, it isdesirable to use the modified insert member 18, FIG. 6. Tue modifiedinsert 13 is blanked to conform to the peripheral shape of a multi-unitgroup of containers, such as six, whereby the same takes on a scallopedappearance. In this embodiment, the chimes 15 of the containers 11 arefully received on the insert 18, with no chime overhang. With the insert18, the weight of the several cans of the package is distributed evenlyover the entire layer insert 18, thereby even further reducing theaverage pressure of the package upon a subjacent package in a stack. Thelarger insert 13 furtherreduces the possibility of chime abrasionbetween laterally adjacent packages in a horizontal tier, althoughinsert 13 requires somewhat more material than the preferred insert 13.As in the case of the preferred insert 13, the insert 18 is providedwith similarly located upstanding tabs 1'7 to prevent chime-riding asabove discussed.

As seen in H65. 5 and 6, both the preferred insert 13 and the modifiedinsert 13 are provided with generally triangular pressure tabs 26' whichare suitably located on the insert members so as to be disposed beneaththe corner containers :11 in the rectangular array thereof, as clearlyseen in FIG. 2. The plastic overwrap 14- of the package which, asstated, is preferably of heat-shrinkable material, is tightly drawnaround the several components there- Within to form .a rigid, easilyhandled package. The corner tabs 21} further maintain the desiredt-autness and rigidity of the completed package as the same are hingedor folded upwardly from the blank through substantially as best seen inFIG. 1, whereby the corner tabs 21 exert an upward thrust upon thecorner containers 11. This slight additional thrust imparted by cornertabs Ztl, coupled with the rigid spacing of the containers by tabs 17preventing chime-riding thereat, further insures the container willmaintain a taut attractive appearance.

The completed package Till may further include an upper insert member12, FIGS. 1 and 4, which comprises a rectangular sheet of cardboard orthe like disposed in overlying relation to the grouped containers 11beneath the transparent film overwrap 14. When the additional upperinsert member 12 is employed, it will be seen that when the packages 11%are stacked, the chimes 15 of vertically adjacent cans in the stack willbe further separated by the thickness of the insert member 12 inaddition to the thickness of the insert member 13, thereby furtherpreventing any possibility of chime-abrasion as above mentioned.

The upper insert member 12 may also provide a handle means for thecomplete package. To this end the upper insert 12 is provided with aplurality of apertures 21 disposed between adjacent groups of four cansin the package. The overwrap material 14 will similarly be apertured inalignment with the holes 21, whereby the purchaser or other handler ofthe package may readily insert his thumb and forefinger through theapertures 21 and thereby lift and carry the completed taut package withfacility and ease.

It will be seen from the :foregoinr that the present invcntion providesa multi-container package of maximum utility and minimal expense. Whilethe package is in some respects similar at first glance tomulti-container or sixpack packages presently available, the package ofthe instant invention as above detailedly set forth possesses eX- tremesimplicity in construction wherein the several components thereofcooperate in novel manner to p vid maximum display and protection of thepackage contents, and also form a unit-handled package which is taut andrigid, wherein the commonly encountered disadvantages of chime-abrasionand chime-riding are completely eliminated by simple and effective meanswhich add neither to the complexity nor the cost of the package.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages.

What is claimed is: 1. A multi-article merchandising package comprising,a plurality of closely grouped cylindrical containers each havingradially projecting end chimes, an overwrap of transparent plastic filmsnugly surrounding and fully enclosing said grouped containers with saidplastic film sealed upon itself to form a unit-handled containerpackage, spacer means disposed between and in tangential contact witheach adjacent pair of chimes to thereby space apart each pair ofadjacent containers by the thickness of said spacer means to preventchime-riding, a sheet-like insert disposed within said overwr apadjacent and parallel with the container ends for vertically spacingvertically adjacent chimes of separately packed containers when stackedto prevent chime abrasion of the overwrap therebetween, and meanslightly urging said insert away from said containers to thereby maintainsaid overwrap in tautly embracing relationship about said containers andinsert.

2. The package of claim 1 wherein said last named means comprises aplurality of tabs struck from said insert and folded substantially 180relative thereto and toward said containers, each said tab resilientlyengaging the end of the container thereadjacent.

3. A multi-articl-e merchandising package comprising a plurality ofclosely grouped cylindrical containers having decorated side walls andeach having radially projecting end chimes,

a planar sheet-like member disposed adjacent and beneath the containerlower ends in underlying engagement with the entire lower end chime ofeach side container,

means inwardly of the periphery of said member disposed between and intangential contact with each adjacent pair of chimes to thereby spaceapart each pair of adjacent containers to prevent chime-riding,

a heat-shrunk overwrap of transparent plastic film fully enclosing saidgrouped containers and said planar member to form a unit containerpackage, whereby the entire side wall peripheral portions of saidcontainer group are visible for display through said transparent filmand said planar member prevents chime-abrasion between the verticallyadjacent chimes of like packages when stacked and rigidifies saidpackage while not obscuring the decorated peripheral side wall portionsof said container group.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,867,320 11/59'Andre 206- 2,896,779 7/59 Armel 206-65 3,000,530 10/61 Forrer 206-653,066,795 12/62 Mansfield 206-65 3,087,610 4/63 Kirkpatrick 206-653,118,537 1/64 C opping 206*65 FOREIGN PATENTS 535,504 12/54 Belgium.975,942 10/50 France.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, Examiner.

1. A MULTI-ARTICLE MERCHANDISING PACKAGE COMPRISING, A PLURALITY OFCLOSELY GROUPED CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS EACH HAVING RADIALLY PROJECTINGEND CHIMES, AN OVERWRAP OF TRANSPARENT PLASTIC FILM SNUGLY SURROUNDINGAND FULLY ENCLOSING SAID GROUPED CONTAINERS WITH SAID PLASTIC FILMSEALED UPON ITSELF TO FORM A UNIT-HANDLED CONTAINER PACKAGE, SPACERMEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN AND IN TANGENTIAL CONTACT WITH EACH ADJACENT PAIROF CHIMES TO THEREBY SPACE APART EACH PAIR OF ADJACENT CONTAINERS BY THETHICKNESS OF SAID SPACER MEANS TO PREVENT CHIME-RIDING, A SHEET-LIKEINSERT DISPOSED WITHIN SAID OVERWRAP ADJACENT AND PARALLEL WITH THECONTAINER ENDS FOR VERTICALLY SPACING VERTICALLY ADJACENT CHIMES OFSEPARATELY PACKED CONTAINERS WHEN STACKED TO PREVENT CHIME ABRASION OFTHE OVERWRAP THEREBETWEEN, AND MEANS LIGHTLY URGING SAID INSERT AWAYFROM SAID CONTAINERS TO THEREBY MAINTAIN SAID OVERWRAP IN TAUTLYEMBRACING RELATIONSHIP ABUT SAID CONTAINERS AND INSERT.